Project Director, GEAR UP - Staunton

Working Title: Project Director, GEAR UP - Staunton

State Role Title: Administrative and Professional Faculty

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Student Academic Success

Department: 520120 - Gear Up-Staunton

Pay Rate: Pay Range

Specify Range or Amount: $56,000 - $60,000

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? Yes. This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon continued funding.

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 02/15/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

This position reports to the Vice Provost, Student Academic Success and supports the strategic vision and implementation of the area to ensure alignment with Academic Affairs' and JMU's mission, vision, and values of the University. The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Project Director is primarily responsible for oversight, direction, and support of the GEAR UP program, which is designed to help students aspire to, prepare for, enroll in, find sources to pay for, and graduate from postsecondary education. In addition, the Project Director will ensure that all program aspects, including overall grant operations, budget management, match management, reporting, and evaluationsmeet the expectations and requirements of the US Department of Education.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Planning and Management:

Responsible for grant oversight, compliance, and meeting of grant deliverables within the grant timeframe, including hiring, supervision, training, and support to direct service staff.

Serve as site coordinator until the advisors are fully onboarded at the school. Develop a strong, productive relationship with the designated school district where GEAR UP programs and services will be primarily delivered.

Manage the establishment of the GEAR UP program within a local community, including the school districts, higher education and other community partners.

Lead the GEAR UP team: provide supervision, leadership, and training to GEAR UP advisors.

Execute high quality college access and success programming for students and families.

Work closely with the Statewide GEAR UP Program Director and the College Now Technical Assistance team to establish strategic partnerships, advising plans, and short- and long-term goals.

Participate in continuing education, attend seminars and conferences, and maintain professional contacts win the community to remain knowledgeable of current college access and success best practices.

Outreach and Advocacy:

Represent the program internally and externally - leading communication with funders - and will work with administration to reach both programming and unit goals/strategic plans.

Seek, recognize, and utilize opportunities to promote GEAR UP site's services through community outreach.

Serve as a student advocate through: communication with colleges and universities; communication with parents, collaboration with schools; and communication and cooperation with outside scholarship programs.

Formulate and manage a community outreach plan to educate the local community on college readiness, access and persistence to completion issues.

Data and Budget Management:

Work with the Staunton City Schools team to formulate a reporting plan for the GEAR UP Site.

Ensure accuracy of tracked services by Advisors and adhere to strict confidentiality in student record keeping.

Manage the budget for the GEAR UP program, including: budget planning and submission of an annual budget for approval, monitoring and overseeing expenses, and ensuring that expenditures and accountability adhere to the highest standards of fiscal integrity.

Qualifications:

Master's degree required from an accredited institution in the field of education, psychology, social work, or related field. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date

Substantial experience in an educational institution at the 6th-12th grade or postsecondary level, or in a community-based organization

Minimum of three years supervisory experience serving low-income and first-generation students

Demonstrated experience implementing and complying with a federal grant

Demonstrated experience with curriculum development and implementation

Demonstrated experience fostering a college-going and completion cultures at partner K-12 districts/schools. This includes identifying barriers to college preparation and access and working collaboratively with key partners to create systemic change to address them.

Demonstrated data management and budget experience in an educational institution or community-based organization

Demonstrated experience with personnel management including the hiring, supervision, training, and mentoring needed in support of their success.

Demonstrated experience in assessment of program activities and services through data collection, survey implementation, service-tracking and monitoring, and program evaluation. This includes developing measurable ways to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs; ensuring accountability to funders and stakeholders; completing all reporting requirements; and monitoring progress towards meeting program grant deliverables within state and federal guidelines.

Demonstrated experience in building, coordinating, and sustaining intersegmental partnerships (e.g. K-12, postsecondary institutions, community organizations, policy makers) and campus faculty and staff

Training and knowledge of the Higher Educational Opportunity Act, Uniform Guidance, Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) and Federal GEAR UP Regulations

Training and knowledge of programs involving study skills, financial aid especially the FAFSA, college admissions, career exploration

Training on fiscal management, personnel management, program evaluation

Ability to communicate effectively with persons of diverse backgrounds

Knowledge of target population including target area, community agencies and organizations, target schools and postsecondary institutions

Ability to understand issues faced by target population to overcome barriers to educational success

Grant-writing skills are desirable

Candidates bilingual in English and Spanish are preferred

Additional Posting Information:

JMU's Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.